What are the best builds for Black Swan in Honkai: Star Rail? Black Swan is a Wind memokeeper who subscribes to The Nihility Path Type. She's particularly effective as a DPS, and at inflicting DoT with her Arcana abilities. On this page, as part of our Honkai: Star Rail guide, we're going to share the best builds for Black Swan.

What Are the Best Builds for Black Swan in Honkai: Star Rail?

Honkai: Star Rail: Black Swan - Best Builds 1
Image: Push Square

Black Swan is a memokeeper and a mysterious entity in Honkai: Star Rail. Subscribing to The Nihility Path Type, she's a powerful DPS who excels at inflicting DoT statuses. Below we'll detail everything you need to know about the character, including the best builds for Black Swan.

Should You Roll or Pull for Black Swan?

Black Swan has devastating DoT capabilities, which when used effectively, can make her one of the most powerful units in the game. Her ability to stack Arcana, weakening opponents and inflicting huge amounts of damage, makes her a fantastic option if you want to indirectly dismantle foes over time.

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Overview

Below is a full guide to Black Swan, including all of her abilities, including Skills, Talents, Techniques, Traces, and Eidolons.

Name
Black Swan
Stars
Path Type
The Nihility
Element
Wind

Abilities

Skills

  • Percipience, Silent Dawn: Basic Attack
    Deals Wind DMG equal to 30% of Black Swan's ATK on a single enemy unit, with a 50% base chance of inflicting 1 stack of Arcana on the attacked enemy unit, and should a target have Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, or Shock applied to them, each will have a 50% base chance of additionally applying 1 stack of Arcana on the enemy.
  • Decadence, False Twilight: Skill
    Deals Wind DMG equal to 45% of Black Swan's ATK to a single enemy and any adjacent targets, with a 100% base chance to inflict 1 stack of Arcana to the attacked enemies and a 100% base chance to lower the attacked enemies' DEF by 14.8%, lasting for 3 turns.
  • Bliss of the Otherworld's Embrace: Ultimate
    Inflicts Epiphany on all enemies for 1 turn(s). Enemies affected by Epiphany take 15% more DMG in their turn, and their Sacrament effect is regarded as Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, and Shock effects. In addition, when their Sacrament effect is triggered at the beginning of the next turn, the Sacrament stacks are not reset. The stack non-reset effect can be triggered up to 1 time(s) in Epiphany's duration, and its charges are replenished when Epiphany is applied again. Deals Wind DMG equal to 72% of Black Swan's ATK to all enemies.

Talent

  • Loom of Fate's Caprice
    Every time an enemy target receives DoT at the start of each turn, there is a 50% base chance for it to be inflicted with Arcana. While afflicted with Arcana, enemy targets receive Wind DoT equal to 4.8% of Black Swan's ATK at the start of each turn. Each stack of Arcana increases this DoT DMG multiplier by 72%. Then Arcana resets to 1 stack. Arcana can stack up to 50 times. Only when Arcana causes DMG at the start of an enemy target's turn, Black Swan triggers additional effects based on the number of Arcana stacks inflicted on the target: When there are 3 or more Arcana stacks, deals Wind DoT equal to 72% of Black Swan's ATK to adjacent targets, with a 50% base chance of inflicting 1 stack of Arcana on adjacent targets. When there are 7 or more Arcana stacks, enables the current DoT dealt this time to ignore 50% of the target's and adjacent targets' DEF.

Technique

  • From Facade to Verite
    After this Technique is used, there is a 150% base chance for each enemy to be inflicted with 1 stack of Arcana at the start of the next battle. For each successful application of Arcana on a target, inflicts another stack of Arcana on the same target. This process repeats until Arcana fails to be inflicted on this target. For each successive application of Arcana on a target, its base chance of success is equal to 50% of the base chance of the previous successful infliction of Arcana on that target.

Traces

  • Viscera’s Disquiet
    After using the Skill to hit an enemy that has Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, or Shock, each of these debuffs respectively has a 65% base chance of inflicting 1 extra stack of Arcana.
  • Goblet’s Dredges
    Every time an enemy target receives DoT during the single attack of allies, there is a 65% base chance for it to be inflicted with 1 stack of Sacrament, stacking up to 3 time(s) during 1 single attack.
  • Candleflame’s Portent
    Increases DMG dealt by this unit by an amount equal to 60% of their Effect Hit Rate, up to a maximum DMG increase of 72%.

Eidolons

  • Seven Pillars of Wisdom
    While Black Swan is active in battle, enemies afflicted with Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, or Shock will have their corresponding Wind, Physical, Fire, or Lightning RES respectively reduced by 25%.
  • Weep Not For Me, My Lamb
    When an enemy target afflicted with Arcana is defeated, there is a 100% base chance of inflicting 6 stack(s) of Arcana on adjacent targets.
  • As Above, So Below
    Skill Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15. Basic ATK Lv. +1, up to a maximum of Lv. 10.
  • In Tears We Gift
    While in the Epiphany state, enemy targets’ Effect RES reduces by 10%. And at the start of their turn or when they get defeated, Black Swan regenerates 8 Energy. This Energy Regeneration effect can only trigger up to 1 time while Epiphany lasts.
    And this trigger count resets after the enemy gets inflicted with Epiphany again.
  • Linnutee Flyway
    Ultimate Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15. Talent Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.
  • Pantheon Merciful, Masses Pitiful
    • When enemy targets get attacked by Black Swan’s allies, Black Swan has a 65% base chance of inflicting 1 stack of Arcana on the target. Each time Black Swan inflicts Arcana on an enemy target, there is a 50% fixed chance to additionally increase the number of Arcana stacks afflicted this time by 1.

What Are the Best Light Cones for Black Swan?

Below we've compiled some of the best Light Cones for Black Swan to use, based on their attributes and how they align with the character's unique abilities.

Reforged Remembrance

  • Stars:
  • Base Stats:
    • HP: 48
    • ATK: 26
    • DEF: 21
  • Description:
    Increases wearer’s Effect Hit Rate by 40%. When the wearer deals DMG to an enemy inflicted with Wind Shear, Burn, Shock, or Bleed, they will individually gain 1 stack of Prophet. This effect can stack up to 4 times. In a single battle, each type of DoT can only generate 1 stack of Prophet. Every stack of Prophet increases wearer’s ATK by 5% and the DoT dealt will ignore 7.2% of the target’s DEF.

It's Showtime

  • Stars:
  • Base Stats:
    • HP: 48
    • ATK: 21
    • DEF: 12
  • Description:
    When the wearer inflicts a debuff on an enemy, they gain a stack of Trick. Every stack of Trick increases the wearer’s DMG dealt by 6% for a max of 3 stack(s). This effect lasts for 1 turn(s). When the wearer’s Effect Hit Rate is greater or equal to 80%, increases ATK by 20%.

What Are the Best Relic Sets for Black Swan?

Below we've compiled some of the best Relics sets for Black Swan to equip, based upon their buffs and how they align with the character's abilities.

Prisoner in Deep Confinement

2 Set
ATK increases by 12%.
4 Set
For every DoT the target enemy is afflicted with, the wearer will ignore 6% of its DEF when dealing DMG to it. This effect is valid for a max of 3 DoTs.
Location
Path of Darkness

Firmament Frontline Glamoth

2 Set
Increases the wearer’s ATK by 12%. When the wearer’s SPD is equal to or higher than 135/160, the wearer deals 12%/18% more DMG.
Location
Simulated Universe

Priority Stats

Body
ATK%
Feet
SPD
Sphere
WIND%
Link Rope
ER%

Preferred Sub Stats

  • ATK%
  • SPD
  • EHR%

Did you find this page on the best builds for Black Swan in Honkai: Star Rail helpful? Take a look at our Honkai: Star Rail guide, and let us know in the comments section below.